Dahlia plant named ‘Baldelrasp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Dahlia  plant named ‘Baldelrasp’, characterized by its burgundy-colored ray florets, yellow-colored disc florets, and upright, mounded growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Dahlia variabilis.

Variety denomination: ‘Baldelrasp’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Dahlia plantbotanically known as Dahlia variabilis and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Baldelrasp’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inEnkhuizen, The Netherlands during July 1997. The objective of thebreeding program was the development of freely flowering Dahliacultivars with large inflorescences and an upright growth habit.

The female parent of the new cultivar was the proprietary breedingselection designated 97.1358, not patented, characterized by itsred-colored inflorescences. The male parent of the new cultivar was‘Dapadred’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,671, characterized by its redinflorescences and compact growth habit. Seed from the above statedcross-pollination was germinated and grown to maturity. One plant withinthe progeny was discovered and selected by the inventor during May 1998at Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings takensince May 1998 at Enkhuizen, The Netherlands and West Chicago, Ill. hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type, with allcharacteristics as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Baldelrasp’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Double burgundy-colored ray florets and yellow-colored disc        florets.    -   2. Upright, mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in inflorescence color and from the male parent primarily infoliage size and ray floret color.

Of the many Dahlia cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar tothe new cultivar is the cultivar Dapadred, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,671.However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differfrom plants of ‘Dapadred’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar exhibit smaller foliage than the        plants of ‘Dapadred’.    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar exhibit lighter ray floret color        than the plants of ‘Dapadred’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalinflorescence and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors inthe photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed description, which accurately describes the colors of the newcultivar. The plants were grown for 11 weeks in a greenhouse at WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Baldelrasp’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of a single inflorescence‘Baldelrasp’ just opening.

FIG. 3 illustrates a single fully open inflorescence of ‘Baldelrasp’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on Sep. 21, 2004 between10:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. under natural light conditions in WestChicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate-covered greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill. under conditionscomparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grownin 10 cm pots for 11 weeks while utilizing a soil-less growth medium.Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 65°-75° F.(18°-24° C.) during the day and approximately 60°-65° F. (15°-18° C.)during the night. Greenhouse light levels were maintained atapproximately 4,000-6,000 footcandles during the day. Plants werepinched three weeks after planting of rooted cuttings.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia variabilis cultivar Baldelrasp.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Dahlia breeding selection            designated 97.1358, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Dahlia cultivar Dapadred, U.S. Plant Pat. No.            11,671.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal tip.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 10 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28            days.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Tubers.—Will form under short day conditions of at least 13            to 14 hours of darkness.-   Plant description:    -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 8-10 weeks.        -   Growth habit.—Basal branching, pinching enhances branching.        -   General appearance and form.—Upright, mounded, and vigorous.        -   Size.—Height from top of soil to top of plant plane:            Approximately 24.1 cm. Width/area of spread: Approximately            25 cm.        -   Branch description.—Quantity per plant: Approximately 4.            Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately 10.8 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 5.3 mm. Length of center internode:            Approximately 1.7 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Foliage.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch:            Approximately 12. Type: Compound and simple. Arrangement:            Opposite. Aspect: At an acute angle to stem. Quantity of            leaflets per leaf: 3 or 5. Leaf/leaflet: Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Dentate. Venation pattern:            Pinnate. Length of mature compound leaves: Approximately            7 cm. Width of mature compound leaves: Approximately 8 cm.            Length of petiole of compound leaf: Approximately 5.2 cm.            Diameter of petiole of compound leaf: Approximately 2 mm.            Length of terminal leaflet: Approximately 5.5 cm. Width of            terminal leaflet: Approximately 3 cm. Length of petiole of            terminal leaf: Approximately 2 cm. Length of lateral leaflet            and single leaf: Approximately 4.6 cm. Width of lateral            leaflet and single leaf: Approximately 2.5 cm. Texture of            upper and lower surface of all foliage: Hispidulous,            slightly rugose. Color of upper surface of mature foliage:            Closest to 137B with venation of 146C. Color of lower            surface of mature foliage: Closest to 137C.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Outdoor flowering habit.—‘Baldelrasp’ is freely flowering            under outdoor growing conditions with substantially            continuous blooming from spring through autumn.        -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 8 weeks.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Type: Composite. Form: Fully double, arising            from leaf axils on strong peduncles, positioned just over            the foliage. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on a            capitulum. Persistent.        -   Quantity per plant.—Approximately 5 fully open at any one            time.        -   Lastingness of bloom.—Approximately 4 weeks from first open            ray floret to senescence.        -   Shape/size.—Hemispherical. Diameter: Approximately 9 cm.            Depth: Approximately 4.1 cm. Disc diameter: Approximately            1 cm. Receptacle diameter: Approximately 1.5 cm. Receptacle            height/depth: Approximately 4 mm. Receptacle color: 145C.        -   Flower bud.—Quantity showing color per plant:            Approximately 2. Rate of opening: Approximately 2 weeks from            first color to full bloom. Shape: Oblate. Bud just before            color: Length: Approximately 1.5 cm. Width: Approximately            1.3 cm. Color: 151A. Bud at first color: Length:            Approximately 2 cm. Width: Approximately 1.7 cm. Color: 53C.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Ray florets.—Quantity: Approximately 42 per inflorescence            arranged in several whorls. Shape: Elongated, cupped. Apex:            Emarginate to rounded. Base: Fused to form tube. Margin:            Entire. Length: Approximately 4 cm. Width: Approximately            1.7 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of upper surface of ray            florets before disc florets open: Closest to 59A. Color of            lower surface of ray florets before disc florets open:            Closest to 59C. Color of upper surface of ray florets of            fully opened inflorescences: Alternating longitudinal areas            of 53A and 53B. Color of lower surface of ray florets of            fully opened inflorescences: Alternating longitudinal areas            of 53C and 53D.        -   Disc florets.—Disc florets develop after most of the ray            florets are fully open. Quantity: Approximately 35. Shape:            Elongated, cylindrical. Apex: 5 acute tips. Length:            Approximately 4.3 mm. Diameter at apex: Approximately 2 mm.            Texture: Glabrous. Color: Transparent, 9A at apex, 150D at            base.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:            Approximately 10 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3 mm. Texture:            Glabrous. Color: 144A with overlay of 59B.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity: Approximately 8. Shape: Lanceolate.            Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Length:            Approximately 8 mm. Width: Approximately 3 mm. Texture of            upper surface: Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces:            146B with parallel venation of 150A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium — On disc florets. Stamen            number: 4. Anther length: Approximately 3.3 mm. Anther            color: 9A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 21A.            Gynoecium — On disc and ray florets. Pistil quantity: One            per floret. Pistil length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Stigma            length: Approximately 3 mm. Stigma color: 9A. Style length:            Approximately 6 mm. Style color: 150D. Ovary length:            Approximately 2 mm. Ovary color: 145B.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Dahlia has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘Baldelrasp’,substantially as herein shown and described.